East Kangaroo Island

East Kangaroo Island is an island nature reserve with an area of 157 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Big Green Island Group, lying in eastern Bass Strait west of Flinders in the Furneaux Group. It is composed of limestone with granite outcrops and dolerite dykes. It was previously used to graze sheep, with overgrazing causing severe erosion.[1] The island is also part of the Chalky, Big Green and Badger Island Groups Important Bird Area.[2]

Fauna

Recorded breeding seabird and wader species are little penguin, short-tailed shearwater, Pacific gull, silver gull, sooty oystercatcher and crested tern. Cape Barren geese also breed on the island. Reptiles present include the metallic skink and White's skink. The only terrestrial mammal is the introduced House mouse.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Brothers, Nigel; Pemberton, David; Pryor, Helen; & Halley, Vanessa. (2001). Tasmania’s Offshore Islands: seabirds and other natural features. Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery: Hobart. ISBN 0-7246-4816-X
  2. ↑ "IBA: Chalky, Big Green and Badger Island Groups". Birdata. Birds Australia. Retrieved 2011-06-14.

Coordinates: 40°10′S 147°54′E / 40.167°S 147.900°E / -40.167; 147.900 Protected areas of Tasmania


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